1000 Connecticut Avenue

Occupying an important corner in downtown Washington, the site connects a park and two commercial frontages. To complement the stone, masonry, and precast concrete that dominate Connecticut Avenue, the skin of the new building is folded into reflective pleats of glass and stainless steel, giving the facade dimension and character and adding light and shadow to the street wall. In contrast, the K Street facade is composed primarily of granite and glass, with formal elements that bring its scale back to that of its neighbors. From a distance the building can be read as separate yet interrelated structures, each unique yet at home within the existing city fabric.

A green roof reduces the heat-island effect, absorbs rainwater, provides insulation, and creates a wildlife habitat, while low-E glass, natural daylighting, and fixed shading devices increase energy efficiency. These and other sustainable strategies earned the building LEED Platinum certification and set a standard not only for the neighborhood but for the District as a whole.